Cold War

The Cold War was "a period after the Second World War until 1990 when increasing diplomatic tension between the United States and the Soviet Union created constant threat of war."  Wars happened during this time frame, but can we actually say the Cold War was a "WAR"?  Explain.

Tragedies of War

WWII was characterized by the many civilian and military casualties.  The specific tragedies we have studied include:  the Soviet Prisoners of War, the Katyn Forest Massacre, the Allied Bombings of Dresden, the Allied Prisoners in Asia, the Canadian Defence of Hong Kong, the Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, and of course, the Holocaust. 

What lessons have been learned from these tragedies?  You can look at the tragedies in general or at a specific one.  Do you believe society still remembers these lessons? 

Turning Point of WWII

Hitler and the Axis countries had a lot of momentum in the early stages of the Second World War however by 1944-1945, they were at the mercy of the Allies. What were one or two events you consider to be turning points for the Allied Forces?

WWII was a Total War...

The Second World War has been described as a "Total War".  That is accurate on many levels.  What are 2 reasons you can come up with that support this statement? 

Hitler's Foreign Policy

Hitler had a vision for Germany that included an expansion of territory for his growing pure Aryan race and his self-sufficient country.  How does this cartoon demonstrate how Hitler planned to achieve this goal? 

Pacifism vs Aggression

How did the Pacifist actions towards Totalitarian leaders lead to more aggression?  Give an example of an aggressive action by a Totalitarian ruler.

Depression vs Recession

The 1930s is best known as the "Dirty Thirties" due to the Great Depression.  Our society recently went through an economic crisis known as the 2007/2008 Recession.  What were a couple of reasons the depression of the 30s was more devastating than the 2008 recession?

Totalitarian Rulers

Stalin (Soviet Union), Mussolini (Italy), and Hitler (Germany) were more similar than different.  Agree or disagree with this statement, with a brief explanation.

After the Great War

Once the war was over and the peace treaties were signed, soldiers returned home to a very different world.  Choose a country:  Canada, United States, Germany, Russia, Germany, France... and describe a couple of differences that were in place post WWI compared to pre-WWI. 

The War to End All Wars...

One mandate of the Paris Peace Conference was to make the Great War the "war to end all wars".  As there was a Second World War, obviously it was not successful.  What role to you think the Peace Treaty had in continuing tensions rather than eliminating them?

The 2 Fronts of WWI

There were mainly two fronts where World War One was fought.  It is fair to say that the war on the Western Front was very different compared to the war on the Eastern Front.  What would be at least 2 differences between  these two wars?

Canada's Role in WWI

Canada entered WWI as a young country under British command.  Canadians took on many valuable roles during the war and were respected for their contributions.  Many say Canada became a true nation during the Great War.  Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Why or why not?

The Road to the Great War

We have talked about the tensions that helped cause World War I:  Economic Rivalry, Weapons Race, Nationalism & the Alliance System. 

We also spoke about the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and how it sparked a series of events leading to war. 

How was this assassination and the events that followed a reflection of at least two of the tensions listed above?

Early 20th Century

The beginning of the 20th century was one of change - politically, economically, technologically.... How could all these changes help lead to tensions among countries?

Welcome to History 20 - 2013

I am looking forward to a great term of History 20! 

During the course we will look at many aspects of 20th century history.  The term goes by very quickly so it is impossible to cover everything that happened during the 1900s, but we will do our best!  We will start the course by looking at the conditions leading up to the First World War and will conclude with the end of the Cold War. 

We will have weekly blogs / journals which will be based on this site.  Also, quizzes, tests & major assignments will be posted on this blog. 

Hope you enjoy your journey through the 20th Century!!